How to knit a sweater FOR A WEE PENGUIN

The Tasmanian Conservation Trust's Penguin Jumpers Project: "Over 15,000 jumpers were collected, which will be stored in Oil Spill Response Kits around Tasmania. In the case of a major oil spill, these jumpers will be used to help rehabilitate Little penguins (Eudyptula minor) that have been oil affected." (Via Chaos Theory and Extreme Craft.)

The people saying this is fake are morons. Zooming in on the photos does no good since there is terrible JPG artifacting. Besides here is a link to the project that wanted penguin sweaters. So shut up.

Looks like I'm the moron. I didn't notice the link to the project in the blog entry. I guess I should learn how to read but then again no one else bothered to see the link either.

Posted by: Antimental at Jan 4, 2006 1:59:53 PM

this is NOT fake. there have been MANY many articles in many newspapaers about this project. they are not knitting these sweaters to make them more anthropomorphic. the sweater project was launched because of oil spills. it prevents the penguins from preening themselves and dying. stop being so negative and maybe do a bit of research once in a while, ignorance can be embarrassing...

Posted by: s at Jan 8, 2006 2:45:05 PM

I was just on Bruny Island over Christmas; it requires a ferry ride from the Tasmanian mainland. We didn't get to see any Fairy Penguins in jumpers; in fact, we didn't see any penguins, because we didn't come at nightfall, when they walk back up the beach from feeding. The only penguin we saw was one by the side of the road that had been hit by a car. Very sad. Cheers for the project to build them an underpass!

Posted by: Kitt at Jan 9, 2006 4:54:58 PM

'tis real !
I live there. It was as a result of an oil spill although that was years ago, but the concept is sound - to provide thermal insulation lost from the damaging effects of oil on their feathers.

Posted by: morph at Jan 13, 2006 5:07:01 AM

These are indeed real. Back in the 80's I knitted several of these for the bird charities that were cleaning up after a spate of oil spillages/tanker collisons around the UK and further afield. I have the pattern still. They are used on other sea birds as well. A very worthwhile cause, and a good way of using up odds and ends.

Ofcourse, I'll have to dig out the pattern and do some more now, won't I? :) :)

This was an authentic project to save the Fairy Penguins. I personally knitted 3 sweaters, one red mohair w cables, and 2 pink & white mohair w pink ribbon woven around the neck and tied into a bow. This project was an imaginative solution to saving the wildlife, and I was happy to contribute. It cost me nothing except the postage, as I used yarn leftover from other projects, and it was a fun way to use my skills for a good cause!

In 1969 as a college student I cleaned and cried over many oil soaked ducks and birds after an oil spill in Tampa Bay. This is a real problem. The birds try to clean away the oil by preening only to die from it. The sweaters are as practical as they are cute. I may knit a few anyway. Careless oil tankers are likely to mess up the environment again.